Between Death and Life
by LittleWing
Summary: An old enemy of Mac's comes back asking for help, but also has his own agenda.
1. The Funeral

A/N: I've changed a few things in the beginning since I started work on this one; they're very subtle, mostly a name and a couple of references. I know that it's been a couple of years since I started this one, but I'm hoping to get it done by the end of this summer. This is part one of an at least two part AU series, so please bear with me. Part two will take a while to post, as I have yet to even begin planning it. I've got a really full plate and need to finish what I already have posted here. Thanks for all the support you guys have given me with this fic.

Disclaimer: I don't own them. I make no money from this. I'm just writing for the fun of it.

****

Between Death and Life

"Come to gloat, Merrill?" Mackenzie Previn asked through clenched teeth, as her one time friend approached the newly filled grave of her young crew mate.

"No," he stared hard at her, "he was a smart, brave young man. I came to apologize for my associate's mistake of killing him. Those were never the orders."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Believe what you want, Mackenzie, but I am sorry. I wanted to say that before I erase you from my memory," he said, tossing a calla lilly onto the freshly packed mound of dirt that was now the final resting place of Gabriel Patterson.

"Why do you care, Gavin?" Mac followed behind her one time lover.

"He was a good kid," he turned to face her, his face a hard mask of anger. "I only wanted your help. It was never meant to go this far or even end this way."

"Why did it end like this? Why did you have to kill an innocent kid, Gavin? He'd done nothing to you, you son of a bitch," her voice was a strained ball of emotion desperately trying not to falter.

"There's nothing I can say to make you believe how sorry I am, Mac, and I really wish that there were."

"Showing up here isn't the way." She wanted to strangle him on the spot, but that would do nothing except disrespect the dead. Strangling the man before her was too good a way for him to die. There were far better ways to kill Gavin Merrill that were far more painful than merely choking the life from him.

"I didn't feel right sending a letter and some flowers." A large black sedan pulled up behind him, its windows tinted too dark to see in.

"You want me to believe that you're sorry," she took a few angry steps toward him and the car, trying to see in the car, "kill yourself."

Caught off guard by her venomous tone, Gavin stared deeply into her icy blue eyes for a long moment. He'd hurt her more deeply than he'd ever known he could. He knew from that day on the dock when he'd chosen to use her young friend against her that he'd struck a nerve, but he never could've dreamt it was such a deep nerve. Her loyalty was never anything he would joke about, but there was something there that went beyond loyalty for the late Gabriel Patterson. She was a great liar, except when she was hurting; then she became terrible at it.

Opening the car door he said, "if I did what you ask then there'd be no one to take care of my son, Erik."

"What son?" She quickly grabbed the door and looked through to the back seat. Gasping she nearly fell over into the soft gray leather of the front seat.


	2. Bad Memories

__

"Nooooooo!" Mac screamed as she ran for the car that was engulfed in flames. Her dark hair spun in circles about her face as the wind caught it. That was it, the end of a friendship and a young life that didn't need to end so violently. She thought staring at the flames as they licked at the wind. Her finger tightened around the gun in her hand. Through the flames she saw him, the sadistic maniac who'd turned the compact Volkswagen into a very large Molotov cocktail. Raising her gun and taking aim at the man through the flames on the burning car, anger balled in her. "Never again," she breathed squeezing the trigger of her weapon.

A weapon discharge had never sounded so loud to her, as it did in that moment. And never had placing a bullet between someone's eyes been so fulfilling to her. So sure that her aim was true and that her mark had fallen, Mackenzie turned to face her long time friend Judson Cross as he came into view of the car. Stepping to the side she let him through. Dropping her weapon to the ground Mac caught one of the extinguishers Judson was carrying as he ran toward the car.

"He lied to us," she said sliding pin from the head of the extinguisher.

"I heard." He did the same. "Where's Gabe?" He caught her blue eyes and all of the anger that was held there. "Where is he, Mac?" His voice was harder than it had been the first time he asked. He could see the look of desperation as her mouth moved but the words failed to pass her tender lips. He wanted to hold her, to make things better and to tell her that Gabe would be fine. However he knew that he couldn't. Not with Gabe missing.

__

"In the car." She let the foam flow freely from the canister she held as though it were a life preserver. _There was no way that he could've survived that, she thought as she and Judson tried frantically to douse the flames with the extinguishers._

The memory coursed through Mac faster than any other before. It was the nightmare that wouldn't go away, haunting her even in her waking hours.

"Gabe?" she whispered, crushing the gray leather beneath her as she leaned closer to the figure seated in the back of the car. Her blue eyes carefully studying the tall thin frame of the young man in the seat. The dark locks covering his head were a bit shorter than when she last saw him, but his eyes were the same hazel green that she knew so well. But there was something wrong in those eyes. There was a spark missing, like someone had stolen something from deep within him.

Erik was uncomfortable with her staring at him as though she knew him. His father had warned him that she and her friend might believe him to be their friend. He wanted his father to make her leave. The way she was looking at him, as though he were a bug under a magnifying glass, made him want to leave the car and run back to the hotel, or anywhere that the blue eyed beauty wasn't.

"Erik," Merrill said softly, catching the young man's attention. "She can't hurt you." He took a few steps towardMackenzie.

"Well if isn't Gavin Merrill?" The voice nearly made Merrill jump through his skin. He'd known that Judson Cross would be hanging around, after all it was a friend of his that had died.

"There's someone in this car that you need to see," Mac said climbing out of the front seat of the car.

"Really?" Judson cocked his head to the side trying to peer through the open front door and into the back seat.


	3. Sick Feeling

A/N: sorry, I realized the other day that I screwed this chapter up a bit. I somehow managed to delete some text. I fixed it though. Okay, well off to work on chapter 10.

****

Two Months Earlier

"Two days off is two days off," Mackenzie Previn said, picking up a small black backpack.

"Anytime you get away from us, huh?" Gabe asked slinging his own pack over his shoulder as they headed for the upper deck of the Vast Explorer.

"You know it." The smile planted on her lips was playful and bright. "What're you doing with your two days?"

"Just some site seeing." His eyes scanned the boat yard they were docked at. "Besides there's a few repairs that I promised Judson I'd help him with."

"Well, have fun," she said, ruffling his dark curly hair on her way to the gangway.

"See ya in couple days," he called after her, knowing that she wouldn't turn around to look behind her. Nor would she even acknowledge that he'd said anything to her; even if she were smiling to herself and thinking that she'd have plenty of fun.

"She leave?" Judson appeared beside Gabe on the deck. He nodded, tucking a short shopping list into his pocket. "And without saying goodbye." He smiled at his young friend. "Going somewhere?"

"Need to get a couple of parts to fix some of the equipment you guys broke last time we were out." He headed for the gangway. He wanted to say something to Judson or Mac but he didn't know how to. It wasn't that he was afraid, hell he'd been to plenty of places without a chaperone before. But this was different. All he really wanted to do was stay close to the ship, despite having been looking forward to seeing the city and meeting people. He'd first felt it the day that Judson'd told them about their new client and job. He'd willed it away then, but when he'd gotten up this morning there was no denying it. Butterflies were beautiful and fluttery, they weren't what he would say he had in his stomach. Rocks was more like it. The pit, the bowel, of his stomach felt as though several heavy stones had settled. His mind screamed at him that there was danger in this city.

Maybe I should tell Judson, he thought as the gangway swayed beneath his steps. What would I tell him? The I think someone's gonna get hurt? "Get a grip," he muttered as he stepped onto the solid cement of the dock. Shaking his head, Gabe headed for town. Maybe parts shopping was what he needed to get his mind off the feeling that was making him sick to his stomach.

"Thanks," Gabe said, taking the small paper bag from the counter top. That was it. Last thing on my list. He thought as he let the door to the small shop shut of its own will. Two hours away from the boat and nothing had gone wrong The sick feeling had subsided some in that time. Nerves still raw, Gabe decided to grab something from the small dinner he'd seen on his way into town before heading back to the boat. A few more minutes away wouldn't hurt, he thought as he entered the cramped restaurant. He hoped that they made the food to go.

Thanking the young woman behind the counter, Gabe took the packaged food and headed for the door. When he got into the restaurant he had changed his mind and was going to stay, but that little nagging feeling that something was wrong bit into him with a vengeance the moment that he stepped foot into the small building. The girl behind the counter had been what made him change his mind. But after what'd happened in Greece, Gabe decided that he should listen to his gut more often. Sure she was beautiful and spoke English well, but there was something about her he didn't quite trust.

"Hello there," a voice he knew said, breaking through Gabe's reverie about the girl in the café.

Without really looking at the person in front of him, Gabe weighted his options for escape. The café was only half a block away, and offered no real safety for him. The ship and Judson where about a quarter mile away and he'd never out run the car he heard running. There was nowhere to go. Swallowing his fear and anger, Gabe looked the person in the eye. If they had ever found the man's body he would've been surprised at who was standing before him, but since they never did …

"Find your diamonds?" he spat at the slender man standing before him.

"I did." He moved closer to Gabe. "How is that I keep catching you like this?"

Merrill's lack of concern about drawing onlookers sent chills through Gabe. He couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated by the man. He was more than psychotic, he was one step ahead of where everyone else thought that he was.

"What do you want from me this time?" He never took his eyes from Gavin Merrill.

"Nearly the same thing I wanted in London." He could see why Mackenzie kept the young man around, lots of foolish bravery. All the men in her life seem to suffer from it. Gavin hated to admit it but even he had been foolishly brave while he and Mackenzie were together. Now, however, he'd moved past those days. "Only the difference is that I know where the prize is."

"Isn't that nice," Gabe said taking a couple of steps away from Merrill and the black sedan he stood in front of. "Guess that I'll be going now."

"You see that's where you're wrong." Gavin's hand shot out grabbing Gabe's shoulder in a crushing grip. Just as fluidly he yanked the younger man backward, pulling Gabe into his chest. "I need the help of you friends to get the prize. And you're going to help me get them." Releasing Gabe, he said quietly, "are you coming willingly or shall we give these people more of a show?"

Gabe stared hard at Gavin's cold green eyes, weighting all his options. One by one he ran down the list. There was a slim chance that he could beat Merrill in hand to hand combat and make a run for the café. Or he could deck Merrill and make a desperate run to the boat, and hope that the car doesn't have a driver. As if Merrill could read Gabe's mind he pulled back his coat to reveal the butt of a gun. Gabe knew the threat. Merrill wouldn't shoo him. He'd shoot the people in the street and shop windows that were watching the scene with awe, as though they'd never seen such an exchange before.

Bowing his head in defeat, Gabe moved toward the open car door. Slowly he slid across the gray leather seat and leaned against the door. I'm sorry, ran through his mind as he watched Gavin climb in after him. Gabe couldn't help but notice, now of all times, that the heavy rocks that'd lined his stomach since the night before had finally gone away. This was it. The danger that he'd tried to warn himself of and ultimately ignored. Damn. Why didn't I listen?

"I want you to know something before we leave." He pulled a small, simple black box from the pocket of his coat.

"And that would be?" His hazel eyes stuck on the movement of Merrill's hands as they opened the box and removed a syringe already filled with some kind of liquid.

"I always get what I want and I want more than just the jewels this time." The seat groaned as he moved himself along the leather bench to where Gabe sat pressed against the door.

"What do you want?" He pressed himself more into the door. There was no getting away, no escaping the mad man coming at him. He was more than certain that the doors were locked. A small amount of relief washed over him when he realized that no one outside the car would know his reaction to the needle being presented to him. The windows were tinted so dark that he was sure no one could see in.

"A family." He stopped moving and stared at Gabe for a moment. Gabe would never pass for a son, not a biological one anyway. Smiling he readied himself to plunge the syringe into the clearly terrified young man before him.

"And you're choosing me?" He let go of his fear for a moment to process Gavin's intentions for him. "Thanks, but, um think that I'll pass on that."

"I have ways to change your mind," he said, grabbing hold of Gabe's arm and pulling him from the door. "Or in this case erasing it." Twisting Gabe's arm sharply, causing him to call out in pain, Gavin gently traced the cool metal of the needle against the skin of Gabe's neck. Smiling at the fight the young man was attempting give and how he was going to mold Gabe into the perfect weapon; make Gabe better than he, himself, was. Finding a vein Gavin quickly bit the needled deep into the skin and plunged the clear liquid into the body of his future relative. Letting go of Gabe, Gavin helped the young man to sit back as the drug worked through his system.

"What did you do to me?" His teeth were clenched against the hot pain traveling through his veins. He could feel his heart threatening to beat through his chest, his lungs burned with every breath he took and everything, more than just his sight, was becoming hazy. It were almost as though his mind were beginning to shut down and rewrite itself.

Smiling at the nearly unconscious young man Gavin ordered his driver to take them home.


	4. Twisted Memories

A/N: quick note about this chapter, most of the flashback dialogue I didn't write, it is as it appeared in the episode that I based this on. I have to give credit to those who wrote that episode. So kudos to those writer's whoever you are, sorry I don't know the names. I wrote most of the other stuff though.

Look, I know where the diamonds are. Why don't you let them go and let me show you?" Judson's voice reverberated around Gabe's head as the entire event that put Gavin Merrill in their lives began to play through his mind.

"Empty heroism, I love it. But I'm not buying it. Show me or they die one at a time." He could feel the shirt become tight around his neck as Gavin tightened his fist in Gabe's clothes.

"We're close." _He could feel the hope that she was right as though it'd all happened just yesterday. He knew that it'd really been months ago that they'd encountered Merrill, but his mind seemed to be erasing the reality he knew and trusted for new territory that he knew could never have been. "This is the spot."_

"You give me the diamonds, you'll never see me again." _Gabe hadn't trusted Merrill's words then, and he still didn't trust him, no matter how many drugs Gavin pumped into him. _

"Don't do it, Mac, ya give him what he wants and he's got no reason to keep us alive."

"You shut you're mouth." _His shirt was once again becoming tighter against his neck. He could still feel the moisture on his neck and ear from Gavin's harsh whisper. What had Merrill done to him. Every time he opened his eyes he was at the ship yards being held at gun point by Merrill. He could still feel the heat from whatever had been in that syringe Merrill used running through his veins and settling in his brain._

"Take it easy. You get the diamonds. We go home. Then they're your problem."

"Six million dollars doesn't sound like much of a problem to me." Gabe wanted to pull away from the man who was almost strangling him but he couldn't. He'd tried, but Gavin just pulled the shirt tighter and shoved the gun harder into his chest.

"Let him go." _He remembered thinking at the time that he was going to be shot when Mac came back at Gavin with her own gun. Once again Gavin's gun was shoved harshly into his chest, and he couldn't help but think that it was going to leave a mark. Images of circular bruises swirled about his numbing mind as the voices continued to play. Bright blues and purples filled his vision as Gavin's voice filled his ears. _

"First the diamonds."

"You know how good a shot I am."

"So am I. You value your friend's life. The diamonds." A gentle shake from somewhere other than the dreamy nightmare he was trapped in, stirred him. Closing his eyes he tried to remember where he was, what was happening. But there was nothing. He couldn't remember beyond waking up three days ago. Where were Mac and Judson? Maybe that was who was trying to wake him up? Maybe he was in a hospital and they were trying to get him to wake up. Slowly he let his eye lids open. He wanted to know where he was, and see the familiar faces of his friends.

A gentle shake from somewhere other than the dreamy nightmare he was trapped in, stirred him. Closing his eyes he tried to remember where he was, what was happening. But there was nothing. He couldn't remember beyond waking up three days ago. Where were Mac and Judson? Maybe that was who was trying to wake him up? Maybe he was in a hospital and they were trying to get him to wake up. Slowly he let his eye lids open. He wanted to know where he was, and see the familiar faces of his friends. 

"Where . . ." he breathed making an attempt to sit up, but the swirling pain in his head told him to stop. Carefully laying himself back down, he stared at the ceiling. It wasn't the typical hospital ceiling. Slowly moving his head to one side and then the next he knew that he was nowhere near a hospital. "What happened?"

"I gave you something to help your memory along," the familiar voice of Gavin Merrill said from beside the bed or whatever it was that he was on. "You had me a little worried, Erik. I wasn't sure that you'd wake up. You've been out for six hours"

"Gabe." He stared hard at Gavin. He wasn't sure what kind of game Merrill was trying to play with him, but he knew his name and it wasn't Erik. "My name's Gabriel Patterson, _not_ Erik."

"We'll see about that, Erik." Gabe could feel the slight pressure of a needle breaking the skin; followed by the cold rush of fluids being poured into his veins.

"Judson?" Tears welled in his hazel eyes as scorching pain, that seemed somehow recognizable to him, coursed through his body once again opting to settle in his brain. "Mac?" The smug smile that was smeared across Gavin's face began to fade into deep gray and black tones. "Where?" He couldn't think anymore. The heat from whatever he'd been given was consuming him, sending him back to whatever that place was he'd woken up from.

"You already talked to them," he said, leaning closer to Gabe's ear. "They know that you're not coming back." Smiling Gavin stood and walked from the confused mess of a young man. Soon Gabriel Patterson wouldn't exist and Erik Merrill would.

"Look I know where the diamonds are. Why don't you let them go and let me show you?" Judson's voice said. Gabe knew that he'd been there before, he'd lived it once before. But this was different. He was more numb to what was happening. The tightening of his shirt felt more like someone where tugging on it than someone trying keep him from escaping them.

"Empty heroism, I love it. But I'm not buying it. Show me or they die one at a time."

"We're close." He could've sworn that her voice had been smoother, calmer. She had tried to control the situation, hadn't she? No. She was in control. She had the gun. She had him. Gavin was out of control. Or was it Judson? He searched through his mind trying to find the right answers, the true timeline, but it was gone; almost as if it had been deleted. And now his mind was reliving the same event over and over. He knew that he'd been there and known what had happened, but the pain was too much and he couldn't remember anymore.

"This is the spot." It was Merrill's voice, instead of . . .who said that? Who was the true speaker of those words? Why was the grip on him and his clothes different? Strong hands had hold of him, but instead of his friends looking at him it was Gavin Merrill.

"You give me the diamonds you'll never see me again." Now the grip on him made sense. It was Judson's grip and his voice that was now humming into his ear. Something wasn't right. Judson would never do this to him.

"Don't do it, Gavin, ya give them what they want and they've got no reason to keep us alive." That couldn't have come out right. No, it came out right. This was how it happened. Judson Cross and Mackenzie Previn had kidnapped him to get some rocks. He could feel his mind start to clear, a little.

"You shut your mouth," Judson's voice was harsh in his ear. Suddenly the numbness subsided and he could feel just how tight the grip on his shirt was.

"Take it easy. You get the diamonds. We go home. Then they're your problem."

"Yeah, well six million dollars doesn't sound like much of a problem to me," Mackenzie said from somewhere behind where he and Judson stood.

"Let him go." Gavin aimed a small revolver at him and Judson.

"First the diamonds," Judson spat at Gavin, his breath hot on Gabe's skin.

"You know how good a shot I am."

"So am I," Mac stepped up behind Judson and Gabe, pressing the barrel of her weapon into Gabe's temple, a slick smile distorting her beautiful face. "You value his life."

"The diamonds." Judson's voice was as demanding as his grip.

It was then that a shot rang through the murky memory. It had come from Gavin's gun. He was relieved when Mackenzie crumpled to the concrete ground in a pool of blood. But why was he relieved? Wasn't she his friend? If she were his friend then why would she try to kill him? Why would she put a gun to his head if Gavin were the bad guy? Why would Gavin want to save him if he were the bad guy? He didn't know. He couldn't tell what was true. He couldn't find the real memory. It had to still be there. It couldn't really be gone, could it?

No. This was the true memory, this was what really happened.


	5. Finding Out

"Judson!" Mac's voice carried through the air and the ship, bouncing off the bulkheads. "Judson!"

"I heard you the first time," he said coming out onto the deck with the phone in his hand.

"Merrill's alive, kidnaps Gabe, and _you_ don't call?!" She was more than just angry. There was fire burning bright behind her blue eyes. He could see all of the rage and guilt that was hiding just beneath the fire burning wildly out of control.

"Mac, calm down," the last words he wanted to say to her had just left his lips. 

"Excuse me?" the harsh tone in her voice only grew.

"I tried to call you last night, but the line was busy." That was it, those were the magic words. He could see the anger that she was throwing at him, begin to fade some. 

"Why didn't you leave a message then?" 

"I didn't think that you'd want to hear it that way."

"I'd rather've heard it _that_ way _than_ from Merrill!" Guilt was written all over Judson's face. She knew he felt responsible for Gabe's kidnapping. If she could read his mind somehow, she was certain of the thoughts she'd find there. They were the same ones that she was having. Why did they let Gabe go off alone, when he was acting kind of strange? Why didn't they notice before anything bad happened that he was acting strange? Why did they have to assume that Merrill was dead? 

"What did he say to you?"

"Just that he had Gabe and he was sending proof to you." Angrily placing her hands her hips, Mac watched as Judson fumbled for the right words to say. Under different circumstances his scramble for words and lack of knowledge would have left her giggling or in the very least teasing him. But Gabe was missing, and it wasn't funny. Merrill could do anything to him, and for no apparent reason. "Did he?" She pulled herself from her momentary reverie. 

The steel of her voice would have made him jump from his skin, had he not been expecting to hear it in her voice. Other than the basics of the case, she still refused to say what happened between her and Merrill. She always said that Merrill was in her past and that was where she intended for him to stay. "It came about a half hour ago," he said softly, handing her a small padded envelope.

Her anger seemed to dissolve into the same void that it had come from the moment that the envelope touched the skin of her fingers. As if the contents of the envelope were made of glass that'd been glued together once already, Mac poured them onto the table in the dining room. His watch, the one that he never under any circumstances took off. His wallet, still containing nearly three hundred dollars, and receipts from the day's purchases. His keys to the Vast Explorer and to the engine room and a few other baubles that he'd stuck into his pockets. Fingering the soft leather of the thick watch band, she let what was left of her anger toward Judson for not calling her with the news diffuse and moved the focus of it to the person that it belonged on, Gavin Merrill. There was no way that she was going to let Merrill get away with whatever it was that he was up to this time. "What aren't you telling me?" Her voice was hard, yet soft as she refused to bring her blues up to meet Judson's green one's. 

Silently he pushed himself from the door frame that he'd leaned himself against while she examined the things of Gabe's that Merrill had sent over. Words were always easy for him to find, but now he didn't know how to find the right ones. The waves of heat from Mac's anger didn't offer him much help in figuring the right way to say what Merrill wanted. Taking a breath he looked hard at her for a moment. She needed to know; he just hoped that she could handle it. "He wants us to help him . . ."

"You're kidding, right?!" Her livid anger once again burned behind her blues eyes, as she snapped her eyes up to finally lock with those of Judson. For the first since she'd met him he let down a bit of his guard and allowed her to read him. She could see that the entire situation with Gavin Merrill had worn on him and that Gabe was just as important to him as she was. Damn it. She thought as she realized why he didn't wear everything he was thinking out like a flag flapping in a breeze. She'd known that he'd lost people close him, but never had she once thought about the depth to which he'd allowed himself to be hurt by their loss. Loosing Gabe to Merrill could be a last straw for him, or it could close him off forever from her and the rest of the world. 

"I only wish that I were," the low, tired tone to his voice made Mac want to strangle Merrill for causing them all this much pain and anger. "He's found a treasure and he wants us to get the permits to dive for it. He also wants us to dive and bring him back the treasure. We get three hundred thousand dollars and Gabe for helping him."

"Guess that we'd better get started then, hadn't we?" She shoved the soft leather banded watch into her pocket as she headed for the door.

"What?!" He stared after her in shock. Not a moment ago she was ready to turn Merrill's head into a bloody stump atop his body, and now she was more than willing to help the monster.

"If it'll keep Merrill from hurting Gabe, I'm all for going along with his little scheme. We know that he'll try to double cross us, but he won't be expecting us to double cross him."


	6. Lies and Deceptions

Groaning Gabe slowly twisted his body on the creaky old cot in an attempt to sit up. Doing his best to push back the waves of dizziness and nausea he lowered his bare feet to the cold concrete of the floor. Everything was all jumbled up inside his head. Running his fingers through the thick dark brown waves of his hair, Gabe surveyed his surroundings. Gray paint covered the concrete floor hiding the fine cracks that laced their way across the entire surface. Thick multi toned gray bricks towered over the floor being topped off long pieces on tin. "Where the hell am I?" he muttered as he slowly tried to stand, despite the slight waves of dizziness that were moving through his skull and the dull ache from his legs. _How did I get here?_ he thought as he slowly moved toward the chain link fence surrounding him and the cot. Fear and frustration filled Gabe as he tried to remember how he got to be in a cage. Who was trying to buy his father's vote with blood this time? he thought pacing the small area in front of the cot. Maybe it wasn't a vote they wanted? He stopped pacing and stared in numb terror as a door was opened and allowed to slam shut.

"Ah, you're up," a dark haired man Gabe didn't recognize said with a broad smile. "You handled the second dose much better than I would've guessed."

"Second dose?" He stared hard at the man smiling smugly before him. "Dose of what?"

"Something to help your memory along," he said leisurely pulling a chair up to the cage. "And how is your memory coming, Erik?"

"Who the hell's Erik?" He narrowed his hazel eyes at the stranger. "And while we're on the introduction circuit, who the hell are you?"

"Who do you think you are, if you're not Erik?"

"Gabriel Patterson, son of Senator William Patterson." Silent anger settled across the man's sharp features for a moment at his answer.

"What do you remember?" Merrill carefully studied the fear and frustration that his captive was trying, with no luck, to sort through.

"Where am I?" Gabe hardened his voice. Two could play the answer the question with a question game that his captor seemed to be having fun playing.

"Bullheaded as ever, I see." Merrill smiled at Gabe. He was enjoying the torment he was putting the young man through almost as much as he enjoyed the thought of Cross and Previn's reactions to the _death_ of their friend.

"How do you know me?" He leaned closer to the chain link, lacing his long thin fingers through the fencing.

"We know a couple of the same people," Merrill said almost smugly.

"Is that so?" His fingers tightened their grip on the thin metal they clung to as frustrated anger pulsed through him. "None of _my_ friends would be acquainted with someone who kidnaps people and locks them in cages!"

"You don't remember them."

"Remember who?" He let his numb fingers loose of the chain link. What was this crazy man talking about? Gabe thought as he watched the man seated before him. What was he supposed to remember? Was he supposed to remember how he got their?

"They aren't important," Merrill said, quickly covering his mistake. "Tell me what you remember, Gabriel."

"Not how I got here, if that's what you're getting at," Gabe spat at the smug man.

"No it wasn't," he said suddenly standing and moving toward the door of the cage. "Go sit on the cot."

"Why?" He balled his hands into fists as he back away from the front of the cage. "What're you gonna do to me?"

"Do to you?" Merrill repeated as though the question required a great deal of thought before it could be answered. "Nothing you'll regret later." He flipped a small silver key between his fingers before placing it in the lock; all the while his hazel brown eyes watched with glee the wonderful torment his young captive was going through.

"Why am I here?" He hated the way that the question came out, hated the way that it sounded.

"In time you'll see, but first we have to fix your memory." He moved coolly toward the cornered young man before him. With an equally cool smile planted firmly upon his thin pale lips, Merrill pulled a syringe from the pocket of his shirt. He fought hard to keep the shrill laugh that wanted out, in as a visible shiver of fear shot through his captive.

"What the hell's in that?" Gabe couldn't keep his voice from shaking slightly as the syringe and that hand holding it loomed ever closer.

"Just something to help _fix_ your memory, Erik."

"Whoa! Wait just one minute!" Why did this creep keep calling him that? His name wasn't Erik, he knew that much, didn't he? He did notice, however, that his outburst stopped his captor dead in his tracks an odd expression of anger and amusement stamped across his nearly handsome features.

"Why?"

"I want to know why you keep calling me Erik and why my memory needs _fixing_?" He pushed himself away from the wall of chain link he'd backed himself into.

The kid had more fire in him than he had hoped and almost more than the drugs could handle. But such bravery does deserve to be rewarded, Merrill thought dropping the syringe back into his pocket. "All right," he said, pulling the chair from in front of the cot. "You may want to sit down."

"I'll stand."

"Suit yourself. I keep calling you Erik because that's your name. Up until five years ago your name was Erik Merrill. You're my sister's son. I adopted you two years after her death." He stopped to study how convinced he had his stubborn captive. He could see some of the questions in the young man's eyes relax, and new ones begin to tense.

"Who changed my name and why?"

"It was a small group. They call themselves Adventure Inc. They worked with an American Senator by the name of William Patterson."

"Why . . ."

"Why you?" He smiled at how easily his prey was swallowing the lies he was feeding him. "The leader of Adventure Inc. hates me and would go to any length to see me suffer. He with a woman named Mackenzie Previn and the financial aid of Patterson, Kidnapped and brainwashed you. That's what this is for," He explained once again taking the syringe from his shirt pocket. "It's to help you remember who you were."

"If that's true and I am who you say I am, then why're you keeping me in a cage?"

"Would you've stayed put anywhere else? I was afraid that in your confused state you'd escape from any room that I put you in. I thought that this would be the safest place for you. I also didn't want _them_ to find you before I could restore your memory." Half truths and constructive lies could do more than all the drugs in the world, he thought fighting the urge to jab the needle in the young man's arm.

"And the family I remember having?"

"Bodyguards and assassins for the high and mighty senator."

"And they dislike you because?"

"You're stalling and I really don't know why, no one's coming to your rescue. They don't know where you are."

The tone of Merrill's voice sent shivers of dread down Gabe's spine. The smile planted firmly on the tall thin British man's lips was enough to make Gabe wish he'd just tried to over power the man and escape. He didn't like the thought that the man could do anything to him and there was no one there to stop. And worse was the thought that the man had already done something to him, but he couldn't remember. He wanted to remember, but he couldn't. It was as though his mind knew where the information was but the files were encrypted with a code never before seen. As fear began to settle in and cause rivers of thoughts to run into each other in horrible crashing waves, he finally found a hard line of truth for the man who'd kidnapped. "My father won't do what you want regardless of if you harm me or not," he said, hardening his voice and cementing his bare feet to the cool floor.

"Well, now that is reassuring since I didn't ask your father for anything," Merrill said venomously as he moved quickly to grab hold of his captive. With a vice like grip on the young man's arm and a firm flick of his wrist, Merrill held Gabe into his chest. Smiling at the struggling young man, Merrill eased the thin needle of the syringe into the soft skin of Gabe's neck. He couldn't help but relish the small groan that escaped the pale pink lips of his captive the moment the needle bit into flesh.


	7. Recovering the Truth

"Double cross?" He questioned following after her as she quickly retreated to the deck of the boat. "You _cannot_ be serious!"

Abruptly she stopped in her tracks and turned to face her long time friend. The set look of determination told him that she was much more than just serious about crossing Merrill. He almost couldn't believe that she wanted to put Gabe's life in more danger than he already was. How could she even think of playing spy games with the madman of an ex-spy when their friend's life hung in the balance? Not that he hadn't gambled a time or two before, he'd just never used any of his team to make the gamble. Now he could see why she was so good at her job. It went far beyond her loyalty to the work and her friends. It was in how she was willing to risk everything, including the lives of her friends to get the job done. And right now her job wasn't just merely getting Gabe back, but also taking Merrill out. And if he didn't know any better he'd swear that taking Merrill to the grave was her first priority. In that moment of staring into her hauntingly icy blue eyes Judson knew that she was more than just serious, she was deadly serious.

"You know that I am, and that there's no stopping me, Judson," her voice was soft and dangerously full of venom. Pulling her cell phone from the pocket of her jeans, Mac quickly looked up the last number to call into her phone and hit the redial button. Rolling her eyes and groaning loudly she took a breath and began to speak into the phone, "Merrill, if you know what's good for you, you won't harm one little hair on Gabe's head. Enough with the game of cat and mouse. Tell us what you want from us and for Gabe we'll do our best to help you." Angrily she punched the end button on the phone and shoved it back into the pocket she'd pulled it from. The ball was now back in Merrill's court.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tossing the now docile young man onto the cot, Gavin pulled the chair so that it once again sat directly in front of the creaking old bed. Though Gabe had had a tougher mind than he first anticipated he was certain that the young man was ready for the second phase of the brainwashing. He was more than sure that the young man's mind was a confusing mess of information, and he'd be right there to help him sort through it all. The drugs that he'd first used on his young captive were drugs that he'd used many times before. Though he originally bought them to aid him in gaining information he wanted from people when they weren't willing to give it to him, he was happy and disappointed to discover that it was more effective at erasing memories than it was at getting the truth out of people. Who in their right mind would create and market a "truth" serum that erased memories anyway? He leaned back in the chair staring at the mostly conscious young man before, as smile crept across his thin lips again he pushed aside his angry thoughts about the serum.

The drugs were harder to find now that others had caught onto the fact that it was not a truth serum, but rather a memory elixir. He guessed that not to many criminals had any use for mind altering drugs, but in the last three years Merrill'd learned to use those drugs to his advantage. They'd been especially helpful after he "died."

The soft persistent beep of his cell phone pulled Merrill from his reverie of revenge against Mac and Cross. Pulling the small black phone from the same pocket he'd kept the syringe in, he punched in his code for the voice mail. "Merrill, if you know what's good for you, you won't harm one little hair on Gabe's head. Enough with the game of cat and mouse. Tell us what you want from us and for Gabe we'll do our best to help you," Mac's venomous voice filled his ears.

He couldn't help but smile at the raw nerve he knew he'd more than touched with them. He'd ripped out of them and put it somewhere they'd never find it until he was ready for them to see how he'd changed their week link. With a bright shine to his hazel eyes as he stared at his prize catch, Gavin absently powered down the phone and slipped it back into its home in his shirt pocket.

Moving the mostly comfortable chair closer the old fold away bed, Gavin took his soon to be adopted son's hand in his own. Staring at the limp hand he held, Merrill could hardly believe that nearly a year before he was ready to murder the young man. And instead the friends of this young man had tried to kill him! In the months that followed their attempted murder of him, Gavin had reinvented himself and come up with a plan to create a family for himself. Unlike most, he wanted not for actual child; he had no patience to stand by and wait for them to grow old enough for him to teach anything to.

But Mackenzie Previn's young friend was perfect. He was old enough to be taught so much more than a small child and more than that he had an eagerness to learn. The only problem with choosing someone older were the memories they had. And Gabriel Patterson would never willingly chose to forget his friends or his life. With the drugs that Merrill was a able to get his hands on, none of that mattered.

The thin hand he held moved slightly, pulling his attention back to the task at hand. A barely audible moan made its way to Gavin's ears as pulled his interest back to the waking young man.

"Where . . . Where am I?" He couldn't get his eyes to focus, there was too much light.

"Safe." Gavin smiled broadly as he waited for the next question to come, hoping that he'd finally obliterated all memories the young man, soon to be Erik Merrill, ever had of being Gabriel Patterson.

"What happened?" He couldn't get his voice to come out much louder than a slight whisper.

"You were in a minor accident. You hit your head and had to be sedated for the last twenty-four hours."

"I don't . . . I don't remember." Fear and frustration began to swell again in him. Why couldn't he remember? Who was the man holding his hand? How'd he hit his head, what kind of accident had he been in?

Seeing the questions brimming on the tongue of his newly acquired son, Gavin offered, "you need a little bit more rest, Erik, all will be explained when you wake up next." He gave Erik's hand a small reassuring squeeze before laying it gently on the bed next to Erik. Feeling as though he'd finally rid Gabriel Patterson from the mind of his first family member, Gavin stood from the chair retrieving his cellular phone from its home once more as he moved.


	8. Devil's in the Details

"He's ready to be moved," Gavin said quietly into the phone as he headed for the exit of the warehouse. "Be certain that he's kept comfortable until I return." Continuing to smile to himself, Merrill headed for the black sedan that'd been waiting for him. Not only was he going to get the jewels he'd spent the last four months looking for, but he was also going to have the son that he'd been wanting since before he tracked Mackenzie down to find his diamonds. Her little friend will be the perfect family member. Gavin could only hope that the young man would respond to him the way he wanted him to. Leaning forward in the seat, the soft gray leather groaned with his movement, Merrill softly told his driver to take him to the dock keeping the Vast Explorer.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What kind of double cross do you have in mind?" Judson asked, watching Mackenzie with mild amusement as she paced the decks of The Vast Explorer. What he wouldn't give to see and know what was going on in her head.

Coming to rest against a rail of the ship, she considered Judson's question. It was easy for her to be honest with herself, but she didn't have the heart to tell Judson that she hadn't yet figured out how she was going to double cross Merrill. She knew deep within her that Merrill was setting them up for a double cross, figuring out what his plan was would be the first step to helping her figure out how to best double cross him.

With a ragged breath, Mac opened her mouth to attempt an explanation how she didn't have a plan for double crossing Merrill, but the sudden shrill ring of Judson's cell phone cut her and her thoughts off.

"Cross," he answered his phone barely keeping the anger and fear he was feeling from his voice.

"And here I thought that you couldn't feel anything," Merrill's cheerful voice filled Judson's head.

"You son of a bitch," he spat into the phone. "Let Gabe go, now and I promise not to kill you."

"That's an awfully nice gesture, Judson, however given the circumstances perhaps neither of us should make promises that we don't intend to keep." Gavin couldn't help but smile at the pause he heard Judson take. They both knew the stakes of the game all too well to be threatening each other. Merrill wanted both the jewels and Gabe, or rather Nigel; and Judson wanted his little student of life back. Gavin knew that Judson would never play hardball with the life of a friend, but he knew that Judson would be trying to work every angle that he could to get that friend back unharmed. Mackenzie was another story. She was just like Merrill. She played both sides of the fence almost better than he did. She was the one that would nearly get everyone killed to get the bad and the friend. She would be the one that he'd really have to keep dancing. "You know what I want, and I've got what you want. You two help me and I'll give him back, you have my word."

"I'll hold you to that," Judson said eyeing the daggers that Mac was sending his way, "for now."

"Good boy," his voice returned to the all too chipper tone it had when he first called. "You have twenty-four hours to get the ball rolling on permits and getting the dive around. I've taken the liberty of faxing the coordinates of the dive site to you."

"How kind of you?" Judson retorted with a snort of anger. "Anything else we can do to accommodate you?" He could feel the smile etching across Merrill's face at the sarcasm that Judson had allow to seep into his voice.

"You're too kind," Merrill met Judson' s sarcasm. Levity in situations such as these was always the best way to handle your emotions; though he knew that Judson's levity wasn't because he was attempting to keep his worry in check or even to humor him, no it was to keep Judson's anger in check. What would Judson do to me if I were to meet him face to face? Merrill wondered, staring at the Vast Explorer and Judson pacing the deck cell phone in hand. The man was obviously pissed. "Once you have the permits call me at 555-1310."

"Will there be any problems getting. . ."

"For young Gabriel's sake there had better not be," Merrill said, his voice a mixture of smug knowing and threatening. Satisfied with the silence and annoyed that the call had gone on longer than he'd anticipated, Gavin flipped his phone down ending the call. "Let's go home."

The wave of anger that Judson'd been holding since beginning his conversation with Merrill finally raged it's way through him, as he punched the end button on his phone.

"Well?" Mac asked, her hands balled into fists at her hips.

"We have twenty-four hours to get the permits." He couldn't bring himself to say or else Merrill will do God only knows what to Gabe, if they ever got to see their friend again.

"I swear if Merrill puts even one hair on Gabe's head out of place, I'm going to make him wish that I'd let him die," Mac hisses as she drove her open hand into the metal of the ships rail.

"We have work to do," Judson said, managing to keep his voice even, despite the anger and guilt that he was feeling. If only he'd realized that Gabe'd been acting strange that morning. If only . . . there were too many what if's. There was no was no way to know that Merrill wasn't dead. After all the man did fall into a river after being shot, and he was never seen again. The CIA and Scotland Yard believed that the terrorist was dead, why should they have ever believed any different. How could he make her see that what Merrill was doing wasn't anyone's fault but Merrill's? Gabe seemed to be the only one tuned into a warning system.

"Judson," her voice was almost above a whisper on the breeze that'd picked up. "I don't know that I can do this." He could almost feel the tears that were longing to flow freely from her baby blue eyes. "Merrill was my problem before I met you guys. Being around you has put into the path of my old life more than once. After we get Gabe back . . ." she stopped for a moment, as though she were attempting to find the words or perhaps the strength to finish her thought.

"It's not your fault." Lightly he brushed his finger tips across the exposed skin of her back. Judson was almost surprised to find the skin to be cool to the touch, despite the deep tan and the warm sun that'd been shining on her back most of the morning. "My past has put us in just as much danger as yours has."

"Stephen was tame compared to most of the people I associated with, Judson." She finally brought her eyes around to meet his. For a moment her blue eyes penetrated his green ones and she was nearly able to see what he was thinking and feeling, but then she blinked and it was gone.

"Let's save Gabe first, then we can discuss our next move," Judson said, pulling her into a much needed hug.

"All right," she sighed into the soft fabric of his tee shirt.

A/N: Sorry for the wait for an update, I was a little blocked. Thanks to those who took the time to review, I'm glad that you're enjoying this. Sorry about any errors. This has not been betaed. Well I'm off to continue working on this fic now while the juices are still flowing.


	9. Control

A/N: Reposting this because of one minor mistake. Same notes apply about the name change, and that Gabe will now be known as Erik, when he's with Merrill. Though Mac and Judson will still refer to him as Gabe. I'm sorry if this confuses people. Enjoy.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Where am I?_ he thought, struggling to make his hazel open so that he could see. _What happened?_ _Was that a finger that moved?_ The sensation of movement ran through his mind again, and he realized that he was indeed moving his hand. _Yep, it was. Okay, so eyes open. . .now._ Slowly his hazel eyes obeyed the command and peeled themselves open to reveal a gray room lit by a single lamp. Gradually he maneuvered his body into a seated position on the soft bed he'd been laying on. _Where am I?_ the question once again crossed his mind.

With a slight groan at how stiff his muscles were, he pushed himself from the bed. Spying a desk against the far wall he moved toward it. _Maybe there's something there that will tell me where I am? _he thought as he began to riffle through the items on the desk. There wasn't much there to look at. A desk calendar that was out of date, he may not of had much clue about where or who he was but at least knew what year it was. _Who's that?_ he gently picked up a photo in a leather bound frame. The photo was just a quick snapshot, only a four by six, and the man in it wore a smile that told of a happy moment in someone's life. _Wonder whose?_ he sat the frame back in it's place with a slight feeling of sadness in his chest.

"You took that," a soft accented voice said, filling the room that had been silence causing him to jump slightly as his hand dropped away from the leather frame.

"I did?" He managed a weak smile at the man standing just inside the threshold of the room. "I do. . . I don't remember."

"It was in the fall," the man said, stepping further into the room. "nearly three years ago. Before. . ." the man's voice faltered as he approached the young man by the desk. "We'll talk about that later." He struck the slight sad from his voice just as quickly as it had weaved it's way there.

"Who are you?"

"Gavin Merrill," he extended his hand to the confused young man. "And you are Erik Merrill."

"Do I live here?" He turned away from the desk and Gavin's out stretched hand to take in the rest of the room..

"Yes, when you're home on holiday from university." Gavin followed the young man's gaze around the room. "You decorated it yourself."

"My name's Erik?" he asked almost uncertain if it even sounded correct to his ears.

"Yes." His lips peeled back in tooth baring smile. _He's forgotten who is. Now all there is to do, is make him remember who I want him to think that he was._

"Are you my father?" Erik turned sharply to face the slightly smaller, Gavin.

"Yes and no," he answered cryptically. "I'm your uncle. You see I adopted you when you were ten after your mother passed away of cancer. She was never certain who your father was, and I never asked."

"Can I call you uncle?" he asked, boring his pain filled hazel eyes at the man calling himself his uncle . . . father . . . whatever. "I don't remember … what happened to me?"

"It's all right," Gavin softened his voice as he spoke. "You were in an accident two days ago. Though your injuries were minor, the doctors did warn that you might have some minor memory loss."

"Why am I not in a hospital then?"

"You were fine when we left the hospital yesterday," Gavin said, concern flooding him. "Do you not remember?"

"No," he said quietly, eyeing the brunette man standing before him. _Why can't I remember?_ he thought to himself. "I want to remember… I can feel the memories at the back of my mind, but I can't get them to come to the front." He turned away from the slightly shorter man to face the French doors that led outside. "Like a computer program that's been deleted. The information's still there, just not so that it can be accessed easily."

Smiling at Erik's words, Gavin allowed a small chuckle to escape him as he stared after his newly acquired son. There was still just a hint of Gabriel Patterson left in him; a hint that he needed to keep suppressed in the young man while building him into who Gavin Merrill wanted the young man to become. "You and your computers," he explained quickly catching a sharp glance from Erik at him.

"I do?" Erik questioned lazily, moving closer to the doors that he'd been staring at. "What else have I forgotten?" He turned once again to face the slightly shorter, older man who was claiming to be his father.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Judson asked with a slight edge of uncertainty to his usually unruffled voice.

"Yes," a woman with died black hair, mud brown eyes and a handsome face filling with fine lines of age, answered; her voice tinged with a somewhat thick French accent.

"I need to get a dive permit for these coordinates." He handed her a sheet of paper with the coordinates that Merrill'd faxed to him that morning. Damn that man, Judson thought as he released his grip on the paper. Mac was right, he continued bitterly with his thoughts, that man would never leave them be unless he were dead. How'd he fake his death? He thought as he absently watched the woman look at the paper and then begin tapping her fingers in rapid succession on the keyboard in front of her.

"I can file the request, monsieur, however I cannot issue the permits today," she said handing him the paper back.

"How long will that take?" He bore his green eyes into the puddles of mud that were her eyes. He hoped that he didn't sound too desperate. God, how he hated that. For once in his life he was almost readable, and he didn't like it. It made him vulnerable for people to be able to read him; and he hated that about himself above what Merrill was doing to them.

"Twenty-four to forty-eight hours," was her simple reply. "Come back then."

"Thank you," he managed to say as he retreated from the office and the building. He wanted to scream that it wasn't okay. He wanted to go back and force them to give him the permits right then. Gabe's life was on the line, and he couldn't wait. No, he didn't want to wait. The sooner that he and Mac got whatever it was that Merrill was after the sooner that they'd have Gabe back and that bastard would be gone from their lives until the next time that he found a treasure that he just had to have.

Slamming the door to the Land Rover, Judson smashed the palm of his hand into the steering wheel. The resulting sting did little to make him feel better, nor did he regret the action. He was more than frustrated. How could he be at such a loss? Not even when Merrill had a gun to Gabe's head last year, was the great Judson Cross at such a loss. This was different, he told himself as he slammed the key into the ignition and turned it over hard, causing the starter to groan and scratch in protest. Gavin Merrill would get his sooner or later, he thought as he put the vehicle into gear and headed back to the Vast Explorer.

"Cross," he barked into the mouthpiece of his small cellular phone.

"It's me," Mackenzie's strained voice filled his ears, allowing him to relax a tiny bit as he turned into traffic.

"It'll be twenty-four to forty-eight hours before we hear anything."

"Sit tight, right?" She sounded tired, almost more tired than he felt. Of course he'd be tired too, if he'd stayed up half the night making phone calls and rousing every favor owed to him from bed in an attempt to find Gabe, like she had. He had wanted to bring her with him to get the permits, but he just didn't have the heart to disturb her after she'd finally stopped making phone calls and gotten to bed.

"Right now I can't think of anything else to do."


	10. Best Laid Plans

A/N: Sorry about the lack of updates…writer's block. Thanks for the reviews.

* * *

In silence Gavin Merrill sat in his office watching a small bank of six TV screens. One screen in particular was holding the ex-double agent's attention, as he leaned back in the tall back leather chair behind his desk Gavin couldn't help but let a shallow smile creep across his thin lips. His plan was going perfectly. The drugs he'd acquired had done their job; Gabriel Patterson was no more. In that sniveling little rich brats place was a young man who would be worthy of the money he was going to inherit, worthy of the title that he'd gain-never mind that it was stolen-Erik Merrill would be everything that Gabriel Patterson wasn't…absolutely ruthless.

Erik's training would have to start straight away. After all it wouldn't be long before Erik would have to deal with the likes of Mackenzie Previn and Judson Cross. _He will never be anyone's bargaining chip_, Gavin thought as he picked up the phone. Dialing a set of well memorized numbers, Merrill's hazel eye remained glued to the images of his newly made son exploring his new home. "Make the arrangements with Yoshi," he said absently. Not waiting for a reply from the party on the other end, he laid the receiver in its place.

_To pull this off I need someone who looks almost like Patterson,_ he thought once again reaching for the phone. Quickly dialing the same set of numbers as before he said, "send Donovan in." Again, ignoring any response that might have been made, Merrill hung up the phone. _How the mighty shall fall._he thought once again reaching for the phone. Quickly dialing the same set of numbers as before he said, "send Donovan in." Again, ignoring any response that might have been made, Merrill hung up the phone.

"Sir," a thick, gravel voice boomed as body nearly as thick as the voice entered the large office.

"Donovan," Gavin said flatly, throwing the large man an appraising glance at the newest of his employees.

Donovan was a thick muscular man who stood just under six feet tall; though he was more than suitable for Gavin's purposes. Gavin's smile depended as he noticed the large man's discomfort with Merrill's choice of work uniforms.

Running a nearly sweaty hand through his short black hair, Donovan came to a stop in front of the highly lacquered dark oak desk his new boss sat behind. Noting his boss' quick glance his way Donovan allowed his dark gray eyes to follow his employers gaze. Currently on the middle screen of the bank of TV's was the court yard at the back of the house, where a young man sat looking through a book of some kind. From his distance from the screen, he couldn't tell what the book was. "Is it about the boy?"

"Yes, it is," Merrill said with a sigh, tearing his attention from the screen showing Erik reading in the court yard to face Donovan.

"What would you like me to do with him?"

"You are not to touch that boy," Merrill said calmly as he stared hard at the man before him. "I want you to find me someone who looks just like him. I'll need the look alike alive for a couple of days. Due try to make sure that they can't be too sure it is not the young man you saw on the screen. You're dismissed."

Once Gabriel Patterson was truly dead, Erik's training could begin in earnest.


	11. Procuring a Replacement

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I haven't lost interest in writing. RL kinda got a bit hectic and most likely will continue that way until at least Jan. I decided to leave the AI characters alone for a chapter and get into another aspect of the plot. The next chapter'll explain this one a bit. It'll all come together in the end. Speaking of the end I hope to have this one rapped up by the end of the year. Thanks to all those you've reviewed or at least read this one.

Little Wing

* * *

Perching atop the worn top of a picnic table, Donovan watched the buzz of students through the small park across from the small college. Carefully he tucked a wallet sized photo of Eric Merrill into the inner pocket of his jeans jacket, and headed for a small group of people seated at a round concrete table. He paid no attention to the stares and whispers that he was receiving from the three girls at the table, his target was the boy sitting with them. The boy was tall and lean, just like Eric; and had many of the same facial features as well. Donovan had no doubt that this boy would fool whoever it was that Merrill wanted to fool. Keeping his eyes on the target, Donovan casually dropped his well built frame onto the empty slab seat next to the boy.

"Hello," Donovan smiled at the young man, extending a hand to him.

"Hi," he said, sounding somewhat put off - and more American than Donovan had anticipated- by the man suddenly sitting by him, extending a hand to him as though they were good friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time. "Can I help you?"

"Actually," he said softening his accented voice slightly, "it's you I came to help."

"That so?" The boy scoffed at the large man, ignoring the thick hand that hung in the air for half a moment longer.

"I understand that you're interested in earning a little extra cash for spending."

"Little extra cash to burn is always a good thing," He said, closing the thick math textbook he'd been working in on his notebook; clearly becoming interested in whatever it was that the stocky man had to say. "See ya tomorrow," he addressed the three young ladies he'd been studying with, "What is it that you can do for me, Mr.?"

"Don Smith," Donovan said with a broad smile, once again extending his meaty hand to the thin jackass of a young man. This was going to be one job that he really wouldn't mind to do. Teaching jerk offs their place was one thing that Donovan particularly enjoyed.

"Well, Mr. Smith, what is it, exactly, that you can do for me?" His hazel eyes danced with excitement as he spoke to the man.

"You bare an uncanny resemblance to someone fairly well known. This person has been asked to do a brief cameo in a movie that happens to be filming near here. My job, Mr. Taylor," he explained as they walked along the tree lined campus, "is to find someone who looks like him."

"Where'd you get my name?" Taylor stopped, his feet refused to work; this entire encounter was beginning to get weird.

"I'm very good at my job, Mr. Taylor…"

"The answer's no," he said forcing his voice to be hard and defiant. Whatever it was that the man before him was selling was definitely something that he wasn't buying. "I'm sorry…"

"No is an unacceptable answer, Mr. Taylor." Shaking his head slightly, Donovan allowed an easy unfriendly smile to etch across his face before speaking again, "in fact, you never had much choice."

"What?" Fear had long ago taken hold and clouded his brain. Taking a step away from the stranger in front of him Taylor looked frantically for any exit point that he could find. There were people everywhere he could just blend into them and get away from the human wall before him. And then what? He thought harshly to himself. Whoever the hell the Don Smith, the guy knew Taylor's name and more than likely where he lived.

"It's all right, everyone has the same reaction," Donovan soothed the young man as he gripped the thinly muscular upper arm with his meaty hand. "Why don't we get going, hmmm? I'm sure that the butterflies will calm themselves on the ride." Pulling the shocked young man through the park, Donovan headed for his car.

_This **cannot **happening._ Taylor thought as he was pulled across the student filled park to a car that would take him to who knows where and probably never bring him back again.

"What're you gonna do to me?" He asked as they came to a rest next to a black sedan.

"Get in," Donovan ignored the kid's question as he opened the passenger door and gestured for the kid to get in."Don't scream. Don't fight back. You will get hurt or die if you do."

Staring the gray eyed man in the face, Taylor knew that what he'd said was true. Quietly he weighted his options. Push the guy into the car and pray that he can out run the thickly muscled man. Or scream like Jamie Lee Curtis and hope that someone would pay attention. Or get in the car and live long enough to find another way to get away. Staring at the man, Taylor vaguely heard him say, "get in," and show him the butt of a gun concealed within his denim jacket. Eyes wide with fear and now shock, Taylor let out a shallow breath and forced his lungs to draw in more air as he turned to get into the car.

"Good boy," Donovan said closing the door behind his captive.


End file.
